Vacuum tool



Oct. 6, 1.936. c. L. GouGHNouR 2,056,850

VACUUM TOOL Fled 0oz. 9, 1935 Patented Oct. 6, 1936 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM TOOL Charles L. Goughnour, York, Pa.

Application October 9, 1935, Serial No. 44,261

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-155) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vacuum tools.

The vacuum tool disclosed herein is of a type especially designed for use in connection with a. vacuum or suction cleaning system wherein apparatus for producing suction has conduits extending therefrom at different points such as rooms in a. building and at which point the tool disclosed herein is adapted for attachment, with the dirt, dust and other foreign matter caused to ow through the tool and conduit in a direction toward the suction producing apparatus.

'I'he primary object of the invention is to improve the type of vacuum tool by increasing the flow of air therethrough for a more eifective cleaning operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum tool of the foregoing character wherein the mouth or inlet to the tool is in the form of an elongated slot that is bordered on its forward'side by a narrow lip or wall with a flat face or shoe on the rear side of the slot and in the same plane as the lower edge of the forward lip or wall to seal or close the entrance to the slot at the rear side thereof and to conne and increase the draft or suction at the forward sideof the slot beneath the lip or wall, the cleaning action always being at the forward side of the tool.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cleaning tool of theforegoing character wherein the entrance mouth or slot to the tool is comparatively narrow with air entrance to the slot closed at one side by means of a fiat plate or shoe and with cut-away portions in the forward edge of the shoe at the lower edge of the lip or wall at the forward side of the slot to permit the entrance of comparatively small objects into the tool for passage through the conduit system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum tool having a manipulating handle horizontally pivoted thereto for perpendicularly swinging movement and with a flexible hose connectlon embodying a swivel joint to facilitate various movements and positions of the tool and handle without unusual distortion of the hose or tube.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum tool constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the handle and flexible hose attached tothe tool head;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the vacuum tool showing the elongated entrance slot or mouth,

`vacuum tool that operates in the absence of the relatively narrow lip or wall in the forward side thereof and the relatively wide flat plate or shoe at the rear side of the slot to confine the air entrance to the slot at the forward side thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1, showing the hose connection with the vacuum tool, the slotted opening in the lower side thereof and the cut-away portions in the walls of the openings to permit passagelthrough the vacuum tool of small objects; 1U

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1, showing the slotted opening in the lower side of the vacuum `tool bordered at its forward side by a relatively narrow lip or wall and bordered at its rear side by a relatively wide and flat plate or shoe; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3, showing the horizontal pivotal connection between the handle and vacuum tool.

In vacuum cleaning tools that operate in the absence of rotary brushes or other movable elements, it has heretofore been the practice to construct such tool with a relatively narrow elongated mouth or entrance slot with the walls of the tool head bordering the slot being relatively proportioned in thickness to permit entrance of air into the tool at both sides of the slot, but in the use of such tools, it has been found that excessive power is required for the creation of suction through the tool head to effect a satisfactory cleaning operation. The present invention that was designed after numerous experiments utilizes a relatively narrow mouth or elongated slot in a brushes or other movable elements but provides a flat wall or bearing shoe at the rear side of the slot with a relatively narrow lip or wall at the forward side of the slot, the bearing shoe and lip or wall lying in the same plane with the bearing shoe entrance to the slot at the rear side thereof and correspondingly increasing the draft or suction into the slot at the forward side thereof beneath the relatively narrow lip or wall for a more effective cleaning operation. The invention briefly described embodies a vacuum tool of the foregoing character with a flat face at its lower side with contact pressure between the flat lower side and surface to' be cleaned increased by the relative proportions of the walls bordering the slot, a handle pivoted to the tool head, with a suction tube attached to the head and embodying a swivel connection permitting substantial universal movement of the vacuum tool with the handle and suction tube freely movable relative to the tool.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the vacuum tool is illustrated as being of curved or arcuate formation in plan view with the concaved side at the forward side of the tool, 60

but it is to be understood that the tool may be of other configurations. The tool embodies an upwardly arched wall I0 of elongated formation defining a chamber I I, one side of the wall rising from a flat bottom wall or shoe I2 that extends forwardly of the lower side of the chamber II to terminate adjacent the lower edge I3 of the forward side of the arched wall IIl to provide a relatively narrow elongated slot I4. The shoe I2 is of increased area relative to the narrow lower edge. I3 of the forward side of the upwardly arched wall I0 and a rearwardly extending `centrally located heel I5 is carried by the shoe I2 to increase floor contact area of the vacuum tool.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the forward edge of the shoe I2 is provided with a cut-out portion I0 that registers with a notch or cut-out portion I1 in the lower edge I3 of the forward side of the wall I0 to permit the passage through the vacuum tool of small objects which would otherwise be excluded by the narrow slot I4.

The connection between the vacuum tool and the suction producing apparatus includes a flexible tube or hose I8 having a fitting I9 at one end thereof that threads as at 20 into an opening formed centrally of the rear side of the upwardly arched wall I 0 and said flexible hose I8 carries a swivel hand grip 2| for attachment to the flexible hose 22 that extends through a. point of communication with the suction producing apparatus. The swivel hand grip 2I permits free movement of the vacuum tool over a floor or other surface and prevents twisting and entangling of the flexible hose I8 and 22.

The handle for the vacuum tool comprises an elongated rod 23 with a hand grip 24 at its outer end and bent at right angles at its other end at 25 to provide a hinge pin that is journalled in a horizontal hinge barrel 26 extending transversely of and rising from the shoe I2 at the point of connection of the heel I5 therewith, the pin 25 being retained in the hinge barrel 26 by means of the screw 21 threaded through one 4end of the Y barrel and entering an annular groove 2B in the hinge pin. The horizontal pivotal mounting of the handle rod 23 permits vertically swinging movement of the handle, the location of the handle pivots relative to the vacuum tool and the attachment to the latter of the flexible hose I8 permitting the vacuum tool to be freely moved under a relatively low object during a cleaning operation.

From an inspection of Figs. 3 and 4, it will be observed that the lower edge I3 of the forward Side of the upwardly arched wall I0 and the bottom faces of the shoe I2 and heel I5 are in the same plane and by such arrangement, the relatively wide area of the bottom face of the shoe I2 forms a closure or seal against the passage of air through the slot I4 into the chamber II at the rear side of the slot. The degree of suction or draft at the forward side of the slot that is bordered by the relatively narrow lower edge I3 of the forward side of the wall Ill is correspondingly increased which results in a more thorough cleaning operation and locates the draft or suction at the forward side only of the vacuum tool. The tool lies flatly on the carpet or other surface by its own weight and the suction or draft through the slot I4 has a tendency to move the tool into more intimate contact with the carpet with the result that a seal at the rear side of the slot between the shoe I2 and carpet is established with all draft or suction cut off at the rear .side of the slot. It will therefore be seen that a vacnum tool is provided that includes a flat bottom face with a mouth or elongated relatively narrow slot with the draft or suction entrance to the slot confined to the forward side thereof, or to the side opposite the rearwardly projecting shoe I2 as distinguished from an entrance mouth or slot in which draft or suction enters the mouth or slot at both sides thereof. When the vacuum tool is in use, vertically swinging movements of the handle 23 are freely permitted while the tool remains flatly engaged with the floor, the tool being manipulated from the handle while the swivel hand grip 2I permits unlimited movements of the tool and handle without disturbing the flexible hose connections I8 and 22.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A vacuum tool comprising a head having a flat bottom shoe, an, upwardly arched wall rising from the shoe and having a forward lower edge in the plane of the shoe and defining a chamber above the shoe, said shoe having a bottom entrance slot adjacent the forward side thereof opening directly into the chamber with the slot bordered by a narrow lip that constitutes the lower edge of the arched wall at the forward side and bordered by a relatively wide flat shoe face at the rear side, said flat shoe face being of a`. width as compared with the thickness of the lip to seal the slot against drafti or suction through the rear side of the slot and confine the entrance to the forward side, and a suction tube and handle attached to the head.

2. A vacuum tool comprising a head having a iiat bottom shoe, and said shoe having a draft or suction entrance slot adjacent the forward edge defining a relatively narrow lip at the forward side of the slot, a wide shoe portion rearwardly of the slot to close the draft or suction through the slot at the rear side thereof, and an upwardly arched wall rising from the shoe with the forward side thereof directed downwardly and terminating substantially in the plane of the shoe portion and having its lower edge forming the narrow lip forwardly of the slot and defining a Chamb-ar directly above the entrance slot, said shoe portion being of a width as compared with the thickness of the lip to confine the air entrance to the air chamber at the forward side of the slot.

3. A vacuum tool as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the provision of a notch in the forward edge of the shoe bordering the slot and a notch in the lip at the forward lower edge of the arched wall whereby larger objects may pass through the head.

4. A vacuum tool as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the provision of a notch in the forward edge of the shoe bordering the slot and a notch in the lip at the lower edge of the arched wall whereby larger objects may pass through the head.

CHARLES L. GOUGHNOUR. 

